Study in Canada

Why study in Canada?

Today is my last day in Canada, concluding the first part of our #aroundtheworldin80universities tour!

I started in Quebec and worked my way through Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston, Peterborough and finished in Toronto. Across 14 days I visited 11 Universities including; Bishop’s University, Ryerson University, Queen’s, McGill, Carleton, Concordia, Trent, University of Toronto, Brock University, Humber College.

I visited such a diverse group of universities to learn that there is something for everyone in Canada! I was amazed by the facilities, each university had something to be proud of whether it was their sports facilities, award winning academic departments leading in cutting edge technology like the Human Media Lab at Queen’s University, the surrounding areas of natural beauty at Brock, Bishop’s, Queen’s and Trent, access to the city and its connection to the city, and the range of support offered to students.

Having worked with the Canadians for the last 3 years this year was the perfect year to go and check it out and see if the universities really do live up to my expectations! I can safely say, Canada far exceeded my expectations. It’s almost as if Canada has been downplayed, perhaps it is this idea that it snows and it is cold. Far from it. There is a warmthness within Canada that I’ve not experienced anywhere else in the World.

There is every reason to study in Canada. Canada has a relatively small population of 35-million people and is one of the strongest economies in the World. Interestingly, it is the 6th most popular country in the World to immigrate to. A country's population is always a good insight into what it could be like to live there e.g. access to opportunities, understanding the labour market which helps answers questions like: is it crowded, will there be opportunities at the end? With Canada there is! At the end of your studies you could work in country for a further 3 years on a post-student visa which could lead to a route to permanent residency.

When they say Canadians are very friendly, it really is true! Not just to those who visit but also with the rest of the World. Canada is a major participant in NATO and NORAD and also a long-standing member of the G7. A country’s position within the World as a participant in NATO and NORAD is good insight into the nature of its people and its place in a global context.

In education terms, it would appear that there is a consistency in the level of investment in education across Canada. Interestingly, there is more investment into its colleges and universities every year than any other OECD member country, (OECD’s Education at a Glance 2014). This level of investment is noticeable, just walking around some of the campuses you can notice not just a sense of pride but a significant amount of investment. The things that stuck out for me were Bishop’s University which has its own golf course, the investment in the arts like the Isabel Bader Centre at Queen’s, and the relationships which universities have made with employers to support Co-Op programmes to ensure every student completes one, to name a few. I could go on, but I hope each individual blog post has brought to light the things that we might miss in prospectus.

If you are a UK student wanting to know more about studying in Canada please visit the EduCanada website for further information, visit a Study in Canada or Study Abroad event where Canadian universities are attending. Search their websites, enquire, ask questions, learn about Canadian life. Canada is growing in popularity for all the right reasons!

I’d like to thank all of the Canadian universities who made my trip an insightful and unforgettable experience. I will be back!

International Education Week in the UK is a platform that aims to connect UK Students with universities outside the UK. It is the first official week dedicated to studying overseas.

Look out for more information on our events

Study Abroad Fair in Birmingham - Sunday March 11th 2018

Study Abroad Fair in Leeds - Saturday March 17th 2018

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